The Tale of Sherwood Forest
by Tenshu-Zninja
Summary: The tale of Robin Hood how he or might i say she became the true prince of thieves. How everything came to be. Please excuse language i dont quite know how everything was back then but ill try to the best of my abilities.
1. Chapter 1

Hoof beats were heard, loud and fast they came approaching the morose village of stewarten and a white pony cried outside of a drab little dwelling a certain peasant lived in. "Robin! Robin! Come quick, Robin please!" The door of the dwelling swung open revealing a brown haired kid in tan breeches and tunic. He didn't gape when he saw the girl of obvious noble birth jump from the pony and run to him like his parents did.

"What 'ave ye done this time, Robin?" His mother hissed in his ear as the girl swept Robin up in a tender hug. Robin didn't reply to his mother, instead he gave the girl a glare as he pulled away from her.

"Please, oh robin the castle is dreadfully dull without you there to keep me company. Won't you dismiss that fop's comment, just this once? It isn't as if it were a huge deal." Marian's cheeks were as scarlet as her flaming hair. Now Robin's own cheeks tinted to the color but his was in anger. His hands were in balls by his sides and ire lit his hazel green eyes.

"The man was spouting gibberish, Marian! He was claiming you to be in love with me when we are friends and nothing more. Robin didn't catch the stinging flash of rejection and hurt in her eyes as he stalked past her. Robin's parents stared amazed at the scene that played out before them. Marian hid her face from them and Robin as she wiped a stray tear from her eye. She painted another smile on her face, hoping it would convince him. She ran to stand by his side. He was seething at the mere memory. "Not only did he say that but remarked on how the poor suddenly had the guile to even believe they were within a stones throw of marriage with a noble woman." Marian's smile became less forced as she slipped her hand into his and instead of pulling it away as he normally did he squoze it a bit. "That Knight of yours is nothing but a bumbling troll. He should be protecting you instead of stuffing his fat mouth and coffers." Marian was touched for his worry over her.

"Why not you; surely you could protect me?" Robin smiled tenderly at Marian and her cheeks flashed scarlet yet again.

"My Lady Marian, I can protect you in only the way of slingshot and mediocre Archery perhaps one day when we've grown some more and I were not at the tender age of eleven then I could. But I have yet to pick a broadsword or a cudgel and those I must learn against any odds as impossible as they may seem." He said staring directly at his mother and father as he said so. She clutched both of his hands, euphoric by his willingness to protect her.

"Nonsense, I could have you trained by the finest on my lands, please Robin come back." He eyed his father and then his mother then with a defiant jut of his chin he nodded. His Father came roaring out of his delirium like a bear.

"No I will not 'ave ya' spoutin' lies to me child. 'Ere, Robin will do just fine without yer meddlin'." Robin's father was approaching Marian with her white pony by the reigns. She took her pony but didn't leave immediately. She looked deeply within Robin's eyes then set upon her pony; she rode off back to Huntingdon castle. Robin watched Marian ride off with an indifferent look upon his face, and continued to stare after her long after she had gone from his sight.

Robin's mother thought it should be upon her to escort her daughter back into their shack of a house. She took Robin by the ear and ignored her whimpers of pain.

"You aren't going." Her mother said adamantly plopping her down in a seat before resuming the task of stirring fish stew. Robin gave her mother a slack opened mouth in disbelief.

"I am going, and there is nothing you can do about it less I break my vow and a true man never betrays his own vows." Robin said with steel in her voice as she looked to her father.

"That would be true if you were a man or even a boy! But your me daughter meaning you's be a Girl." Her mother said with equal steel in her voice.

"Fine then, a lady never breaks her promises either, didn't you say so, mother?" Her mother cut her eyes at her child but Robin didn't flinch away as she might have years earlier. "I will go and you will let me or I will go and you will not know." Her mother picked up her wood slab of a cutting board and neared to Robin. Robin's eyes widened in sudden fear, but before her mother could take to whacking her with the piece her father intervened.

"Evelyn it is none but our own fault she grew up like this. Treated like a boy even by us until now. My little girl was brought up like a young lad and now she acts like one believing she may do things as a young lad could. How could we deny her these thoughts when we were the ones to bring her up on them?" He asked his wife with a wan smile. His complexion was waxy from the truth of his revelation. Evelyn went to her knees besides her husband and cried into his shoulder.

"My darling daughter will never marry. I will never have grandchildren. My, the possibilities of her death are endless if we allow her to do this, Tim." His jaw clenched as his green eyes sought his daughters hazel ones. The silence dragged on before her mother suddenly lifted her skirts and stood wiping her eyes. They were red and swollen from the tears she had only just stopped shedding. "Enough we will discuss this later, after dinner and we will be rational about this." Her mother said in a voice brooking no argument for tonight. "Now then, let's eat before supper gets cold."


	2. Chapter 2

The night had gone on in merriment for Robin's folk; they ended up going to bed without discussing the matter. So Robin lay awake at night wondering what might happen to her future if she didn't allow Marian to interpolate her help. Would she grow to the age of thirteen and then be bartered off to a man like the other women of her time? That wasn't an agreeable future for her. Robin was a rare girl to find, a boy in her heart of hearts. She craved adventure and excitement; Yes! Oh her heart pounding in her ears and thrills around every corner. That was the life Robin dreamt of having when she went to bed every night while her parents dreamed of her marrying a Yeoman and having children. While Robin insisted on learning the art of trademark weaponry her mother and father insisted on learning to quilt and sew. Not that she didn't learn it all or was ungrateful to her parents; on the contrary, she loved her parents and would do anything within her power to please them on the three conditions. That she never betray a promise, her honor, or herself. These things were very important morals she held tightly wound to the muscle within her breast.

Robin just didn't have what it took to live the life her parents wanted from her. She turned in her bed trying to get some rest before tomorrow. She was planning on heading out with some of the village boys to go trap some hare. Meat was becoming increasingly scarce and luxurious. That was only another reason to hate the nobles. They sat in there castles all day dining and dancing while the peasants died from starvation and sicknesses they can't ail due to lack of resources. Resources the nobles have and hog for themselves. Robin couldn't think anymore about this or the little patience she had for the nobles would slip away. Huntingdon castle was the only exception she knew and that was mostly Marian's doing. Marian wasn't as much of a puppet to the noble rules as all the others were which was why she had begun to really hang out with her. At first

Marian and Robin hanging out was just a simple act of kindness on her part. Robin had been goose trailing and as it went farther into the black woods near her village she came closer into Sherwood and eventually came to rest at Huntingdon Castle.

That goose hadn't been normal it had been strangely aware and cunning at that. I had finally herded the crafty little thing into a corner and grabbed it. I sliced the throat and went towards the edge of the forest with the upside down bleeding goose when someone called out to me. I turned only to find two knights sauntering toward me a leer on one of the knight's faces told me this would not be a friendly chat. I swept a bow as I'd seen my father do many a times when he were in front of someone of obvious higher ranking. The two men exchanged looks between each other before one swept a small bow back to me.

"I say that goose looks mighty plump for a mere peasant. What do you think Hobbs?" Hobbs looked at the goose in thought then his leer came out again.

"I was lucky enough to spot this and hunted this goose from Black woods. Usually they are really skinny but this one is fat for me and my family." I said grinning with glee at the thought of my family sitting at the table eating on such a large goose.

"Really, all the way from black woods? Must've been a coincidence that you're here in the back of the Huntingdon Castle sneaking off with such a large goose, then isn't it."

My face fell and I could see clear as the morning sun what they thought I was doing. Since my brother Rhodric left to go fight alongside King Richard, because my father wasn't nearly well enough or trained, My tongue had sharpened irreparably He left when I was but six. I miss him so much.

"Yes it is a coincidence, just like it is a coincidence you two are in the back of Huntingdon Castle with your coffers stuffed to the brim in silver." I told them raising an eyebrow as I pointed out a silver piece sticking out of one of the men's pockets. The man scowled then laughed cruelly.

" Oh, and what if I tell the lord we caught a young boy stealing silver and one of there prized goose?" I mouth hung open in a gape.

"But that's not true!" He shrugged as his partner with the leer came towards me slowly.

"It doesn't matter what you say. Who do you think the lord will believe? Me one of his loyal nights for ten years or you a scraggly peasant boy, really its not hard to figure out who will walk away clean and who will be sent to the gallows." I stuttered as my mind worked in overdrive. These knights were going to frame me!

"Stop! Hold it right there!" A feminine voice called and the men froze with sudden fear. One knight turned to her and the other grabbed hold of me as I sprang from my stupor to dart into the forest. The knight took the goose from me and held me tight against his chest lifting me feet off the ground.

"Marian shouldn't you be at your lessons?" She stepped around the first knight and looked at me struggling profusely against the man holding me prisoner. Her face contorted upon seeing me struggling into one of confusion. Suddenly I had a wild idea for which I am famed for having quite frequently.

"Marian! Marian please, tis' me Robin." She continued to stare at me with confusion and growing awe. "Tis' me, Robin. Don't you remember me and me brother Rhodric? He served as a knight here for years before going off to fight with our King Lion Heart." Her face went slack as she lowered it. The first knight looked at her then at me a bit skeptically. Suddenly she threw her head up and she was smiling dazzlingly. She rushed over to me then stopped abruptly as she glared at the guard.

"Put my guest down right this instant Albert." He hurried to set me down before he scuttled to his friend who was staring in amazement. "Robin! Oh how good it is to see you again! Do you know I dearly missed you?! I think it was a dashing decision to let your parents send you here to Huntingdon don't you think?" She chattered on as if we were best friend reunited as we began to stroll away from the forests then unexpectedly she stopped. She stopped speaking and stopped walking then she casually looked behind us at the knights sweating fountains. "Oh and Sir Albert, Sir Hensworth father will hear of your misdeeds." I looked over my shoulder and caught a look over Hensworth's face that portrayed utter rage. Before she knew, I had my dagger at his throat as he attempted to grab Marian. He stilled upon feeling the cold blade to his jugular his knees immediately weakened and he fell to his knees in the dirt. Marian was wide eyed at the sight. I shook my head and spat on the ground near him.

"Marian please, hurry to retrieve your father and some more… honorable knights or perhaps foresters." She nodded and lifted her skirts before she ran. The man began to sweat as I smiled at him, his eyes betrayed the fear he felt. "And to think you had planned on framing me for not only the goose but stealing the silver of a beloved friend; Sir Hensworth that was not a smart move on your part." I scolded him with a bit of joy. He had nearly gotten me sent to the gallows and then tried to harm a girl who risked her neck to save me. A Noble girl no less, everyone knows how fragile the noble women are they are delicate elegant flowers to be guarded by they're fathers until marriage then it becomes they're husbands job to protect them.

Sir Hensworth leered at me and I scowled back. "You are no knight. You are but a common thief and that girl has more honor in her pinky finger than you have in your entire body." I said in a low and menacing voice. I saw his hands come up to my neck and I pressed the dagger further into his neck, a bit of his blood trickled onto the blade. I lowered my eyelids to half veil my expression of utter distaste towards him. He spat on my above the ankle boots and then snarled in my face as Marian finally returned with a man tall enough to great the sky and sturdy enough with muscle to resemble a great oak. He was handsome and walked with a regal air about him. His very presence demanded attention and respect; lets just hope his attitude and thought does as well shall we?


	3. Chapter 3

The man raised his eyebrow at the scene of an unfamiliar young lad no older than ten at the very most holding a dagger to his more skilled knight who was on his knees. He looked at the boy assessing him thoroughly, noticing the lad's eyes held disapproval until they landed on him then they became very near awe struck. He and Marian strode forward whilst he left his guards behind. "Young man what is the meaning of your dagger at my men's throat?" He asked and saw the lad quickly swallow at his booming voice and question before he looked at the knight he held at bay then at Marian before resting startlingly gentle hazel green eyes on him. The lad took the knife away from his men's throat and before he could figure out where, had hidden it somewhere on him. The lad bowed then looked at the knight in complete disgust.

"Your man is a liar, a thief, and I suspect had I have been a tad slower, a murderer." The man's eyebrows rose to the top of his hairline and stayed there for a moment.

"Who has my man lied to, whom has he stolen from, and whom did he plan to kill?" He asked the boy watching him with indifferent seriousness. If this boy was lying he would catch him in the act.

"Sir he had planned to lie to you about me, He had suspected I had been stealing a goose from you." His eyebrows lifted again and he said with no insistence. "Which I had not been doing, I had been hunting a cunning goose from Black Woods that had led me here when I backed it into a corner." He gestured loosely to the goose he had thrown to the ground in his struggle to free himself from the one knight. "That is when I discovered they had their pockets stuffed to the brim of silver. They are knights and I know what knights are paid in; it is certainly not silver such as he has." Hensworth began to sweat but the boy remained with a cool attitude toward the lord.

"Excuse me but how exactly do you know what knights are paid? Are you aspiring to become one yourself?" He asked and the boy stopped and thought about it.

"My brother- my brother is a knight and he used to tell me a lot about being one before he left with King Richard for the crusades. As for me I can only dream, for me parents don't like the idea of both their chill'en goin off to fight for our country. Ma' says me brother goes to serve but aye' I have to provide her with many grandchildren so I stay and learn a trade." He could see the hero worship at the mere thought of the lad's brother. Clearly he was proud of him for serving alongside their great king but the life died right out of him when he spoke of the future his parents had planned for him. "Any who, your Sir Hensworth might have tried to kill Marian if he hadn't caught the sharp edge of my knife only a tithe before he snatched her up; so I was able to stop him and ask Marian to get some help." He looked at the boy a bit longer before forcefully dragging his eyes to his fallen knights.

"And what of Ruckabeus; did he just stand there and did nothing?" The lad looked past the drenched Sir Hensworth and lay upon his accomplice.

"He didn't do much but follow Hensworth's orders." The lad shrugged absently. He hadn't caught the boy or tripped him up in the story and he had evidence of all that he said. Obviously Sir Hensworth wasn't content with land and serfs. The man nodded his head as he drew out an impressive broadsword etched with the Huntingdon monograms.

Robin's eyes widened as Lord Huntingdon or so she assumed he was swiftly drew upon his broadsword. Robin glanced at Marian and she was looking a bit pale. "Boy." Robin's head snapped to the lord. He bowed to robin and then in long strides was right in front of him. Robin could feel herself whiten and stiffen as he got nearer. The lord bent and picked some silver out of Hensworth's pockets, Hensworth was cringing all the while, before he put a pound into robin's hands. "Thank you for keeping my daughter from getting hurt. I think you would make a great guard for her though you would need a more formal education don't you say." The man smiled and it was kind. Kinder than robin had known it could be immediately tears pricked her eyes. They streamed out of her eyes before she could stop them. She tried to wipe them away but more only replaced those.

"Thank you Sir. You have no idea the gratitude I have." The man laughed until movement caught them both and then Lord Huntingdon was scowling with malice at Hensworth, his sword at the man's neck directly underneath robin's magically reappeared dagger. Lord Huntingdon looked down to see the boy shielding the lord. It brought a smile to his lips to see. At that moment Lord Huntingdon decided he would do all he could to teach this boy. He would give him everything he needed to become a royal knight even if his parents couldn't allow it now he would have the knowledge. And when time came and he was a full grown man he could decide his own fate despite his parents wishes and then he would hope he continued to protect and serve under the house of Huntingdon or a better family.


	4. Chapter 4

The week had gone by dreadfully dull and everyday Robin grew antsy in her home. She loved her parents; honest she did but the future they had planned for her was not one in which she would be happy. Robin craved the ways of man because so many opportunities lay in wait if only she would follow that path. That path however carried along with it going back to Huntingdon something in which she would do in a moments notice if only it didn't hurt her parents so.

She sighed as she struggled with her decision, completely ignoring the man who walked up toward her wearing a green hood. "Excuse me lad." She lost her train of thought as his voice cut through them. She scowled up at him with narrowed eyes.

"Wot'd ye want? I ain't got all day, so spit it out alrea'y" The man's face was visible barely but her sharp eyes saw his smile.

"I am looking for a nobleman's castle. Huntingdon, would you perhaps know where it might be?" Robin stopped her sweeping and eyed him suspiciously. He did carry himself like a noble and wore the garments of one as well, but her instincts told him he was an odd one, after all what noble willingly comes to talk to a peasant. Though of course he could be a Paige; it would make sense for the noble to send their Paige. However the man had said he specifically was looking for Huntingdon Castle.

"Aye, wot do ye need from the good Lord Huntingdon?" The man's eyebrows rose.

"Do you know the lord personally?" Robin's eyes scrutinized the man of noble birth.

"So what if I do?" She asked threateningly. She saw his hand move under his cloak, a sword probably. All lords wore they're gear of favor when traveling in case they were to need it to cut down some bandits. Robin scowled at the man who began to smile with smug satisfaction and a boosting confidence.

"Then I would ask if you would be so kind as to lead me the way toward his castle. None in my party know which way we are going and much to my dismay I am forced to ask you, a peasant child who probably has more important things to do than help me. In fact where are your parents child; surely if you know where the castle is then your parents must also-?"

Robin's eyes widened in horror, her reflexes took over and she inadvertently grasped the man's cloak tightly, not allowing him to leave without receiving damage.

"Shhh, if me parents even suspect I went back the next time I see them me mother'll chase me with the cutting board again" She hissed to him and he winced when she mentioned the hard slab of wood, as if he had felt its sting before and remembered it well. She let him go and he was quick to un-wrinkle the garment. She sighed as she thought about it. There was no one besides her in the village who really knew the way to Huntingdon. Everyone knew Nottingham but no one seems to notice Huntingdon isn't in Nottinghamshire. Its one of the huge castles that skirts around Sherwood Forest deliberately put a little ways away from Nottingham. Robin ran her hands through her short cut hair thoroughly but rough. "Dammit!" She stamped on the ground and the man frowned a bit.

"Lad if it is really so much a bother I wil-"

"Fine!" She cut him off quick as she stormed off toward black woods. He soon understood what she had meant and caught up to her side.

"Lad, where might ye' be off to?" She looked at him with growing agitation.

"Huntingdon of course, this is the fastest way I know, besides it is only you, I and your mare." He smiled sheepishly.

"Actually," She made a grunt and stormed off to her house. When she disappeared inside, the man got antsy.

"Lad are you still willing to escort us to Huntingdon?" Robin pushed out of her home geared up in her weapons. As the man looked over her his eyes grew wide. What are you so armored for. Dear boy we are going no where but Huntingdon castle, are we not?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Boy?" She shook her short hair and marched past him. "Where is your party, sir?" He followed closely by her side and pointed in the direction of the village. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sped her pace up to a light jog.

The sight she saw upon entering the village was of the Paige's party being ambushed by young outlaws disguised as village boys. A quick surveying of their dirty sunken faces told her she recognized them all. She marched up to the oldest boy, Marc Jacobi and pushed him into the nearby pig pen. Before his womanly screech had ended and all his boys knew what had happened Robin had her arrow notched and aimed at him. "Didn't I tell you to move along out of BaynesDale and specifically out of Stewarten? Marc I told you last time that I wouldn't be giving you anymore chances didn't I?" Marc's eyes stayed glued onto the finger that would release her arrow, that finger's twitch would decide if he dies or is only wounded. She was currently aimed at his chest. If she released now he was dead. Robin smirked mirthlessly. "Marc You shouldn't have come back. You threaten the lives of many here and I do not tolerate that." She swiftly changed her aim and let the arrow go. Marc fell farther into the pen when he grabbed his shoulder. It was pierced clean through by her arrow. He roared in pain as she walked over to the Paige's party.

She bowed before them all.

"Welcome to Stewarten. I deeply and humbly apologize for these idiots;, they seem to have a hearing problem." She glared at Marc as his boys helped him away. "Wait!" She called to them as she ended her gracious bow. The boys stopped in their tracks. "Bring him hither." She pointed to the spot directly next to her and in front of the nobles. The boys, too afraid to disobey did as told and set their leader exactly where she pointed. Marc had tear tracks down his face. She looked at the party. "Well what do you propose I do with him?" The men looked at each other.


	5. Chapter 5

"You want us to decide a fitting punishment for the boy?" A man asked out of the group and she nodded.

"He is an outlaw like the other boys with him." Their eyes bugged out of their skulls.

"However you are not an outlaw with them?" One man, an old man with white hair and a scraggly graying chin said coming forth.

"No sir, I am not."

"How strange, you are dressed as such, in rags that are obviously dirty and armored. Why your entire demeanor speaks of one who has seen horrors no child should. Yet you are not an outlaw?" She stepped back, a puzzled expression evident. "Not only that, but as everyone else ran away from the outlaws you heeled them as if you ruled them." She smiled with a mirthless savagery.

"Sir, I assure you I am no outlaw, you have my word on that." The man was quick to counter.

"And what is the word of a mere child? I'm afraid I will need more than your word son."

"Fine, then I can pledge Sir Huntingdon's word that I am no outlaw." The man smiled broadly.

"So you know Huntingdon aye?" This is when the Paige interrupted stuttering.

"Yes, m-my lord, this boy seems to be the only one in the village that knows w-w-where exactly Huntingdon castle is." The man rubbed his chin then looked at her.

"Is that so…Okay then boy I will believe you and then when we get to Huntingdon castle I will ask Sir Huntingdon myself whether or not I am right to trust you." She smiled at the elder. "What is it, boy? What are you smirking about?"

"I never said you could trust me, I only pointed out that I am no outlaw." The elder also cracked a smile before laughing heartily.

"S-s-s-s-shall we be off then?" The Paige said getting even worse with his stutter. Robin nodded but then looked at the confused and still kneeling Marc Jacobi. She looked between him and the elder.

"Oh, yes this young fellow. I recommend you gather the lot of them and bring them with us. I will decide when I am comfortable at the castle. Another man, middle aged and red haired whispered to the elder. "What is to keep them from running off when we are traveling on the road?" The elder snorted before eyeing robin with a sly smirk.

"That one right there shall keep them all on their toes. I believe he is quite the marksmen long range just as he is short ranged." They stopped as robin yelled for all the boys to come. All of them came eventually and stood silently assessing her bow and then Marc's shoulder as she bound their wrists and tied them all together, about twelve in all. She had them stand in line at attention as she walked down the line searching all their faces and calling out their names.

"All of you will be coming with me and these fine noblemen, our destination Huntingdon castle." Their were whispers among the boys then, none had ever been there nor laid eyes on it but they heard stories like all the other children too. "And when we get there do not worry; I will make sure Sir Huntingdon puts you all to to good use." Groans erupted out of every lad before her, even the injured Marc groaned in pain and irritation. She turned back to the party. "It seems this party is too large to go through black woods as I had originally planned, we will have to take the roads." They didn't seem to be bothered by it as Robin had expected so they set out.

She hadn't expected it would take so long traveling with a group but it was terrible. They were half way there and it had been well 2 hours by now.

"C'mon lads get moving. My poor ol' mum can walk faster en the lot o' ya!" Robin shouted at the boys walking down the road behind the nobles tied to one another. This went on for another half. After a while everyone just went on in silence. There really hadn't been much point to yelling at them if they wouldn't speed up and she wouldn't cause unnecessary harm to them just because she wished they were faster. That wasn't her way.

"How much further is it?" The Paige asked her after to which she replied rather grumpily.

"We'll get there when we get there." Making the Paige shut up and look back to the front of him. She couldn't remember when but a while back she had begun paying extreme attention to the surrounding forests. Obviously there were bandits here since they were now past Black woods which were much too close to the towns; and halfway through Sherwood Forest where there were no marked walkways, and greenery covered everything. Sherwood was a place you could get lost in and never come back out of.

"Lad, why are you staring so hard at the trees; As if they might come alive?" She scanned them again before answering the Elder.

"Because, these boys are outlaws and The Sherwood is full of other Outlaws, who's to say these boys don't belong to a bigger group than the one you see before you. Who's to say the rest of their group aren't watching you walk by now with your fancy clothing and weapons and horses? Why, they could be developing a plan to ambush and steal from you as I tell you these things." There was the subtle snapping of a twig, and Robin had notched, aimed, and fired, to anyone else's eyes in the same motion. There was a loud groan in the bushes and she knew she had been right to be so edgy. Grabbing the boys' ropes she ran full tilt half dragging the boys behind her, all the while screaming for everyone to run and follow her. The horses kept pace with her but the boys stumbled and tripped all over each other. Binding their feet had become such a nuisance she had half a mind to unbind them as she ran. Abruptly she stopped and looked at the boys; almost falling onto Robin to stop. She notched and aimed her arrow then swung it over each boys face, carefully watching them.

"What is it now? First you shoot something in the forest then tell us to run now you stop so suddenly. Is this a trap of yours? If it is get it over with my arse' can't handle much more." A hooded man with a young voice began to complain and I could hear him drawing his sword.

"Oh shut your mouth complaining. Would ye rather your arse hurt or to not hurt anywhere at all?" I asked studying one lad in particular. I didn't see what he did but suddenly a stout bearded man said:

"Oh lay off William, the lad is right and ye knows it."

"You, Boy!" The boy I was staring at had previously had his head down and his long scraggly hair covering his face; He looked up when I called for him. There was no mistaking the boy, he was crawler; the local informant to all the outlaws and myself. My lips thinned as I realized I had caught crawler, he was probably scouting out more information. What would happen to everyone if Lord Huntingdon decided what they had done was too grave and had them sent to the cells. I could always trust Lord Huntingdon to pick on the decision closest to truth and justice, such were his ways and I respected them however…. I walked over to crawler and the boy shivered. I believe it has been him spreading all of the rumors that I am training to become the best and that I was some fearsome warrior; meaning it was he who got me found by my parents in the first place. I grabbed him up by his arm and he jolted backward, telling so many things he must have forgotten I am still quite weak. I work off his rope and pull him through everyone. I whispered "Crawler be damned you. You stay in the front; I'll let you go before we get to the castle. He nodded his appreciation shakily. The boy was so skinny; I looked over at the lot of em and realized everyone was. I was skinny but I ate what I could and sometimes Marian dropped off a loaf every now and then. These boys might keel over of starvation at any given moment. I looked at the old man as he looked at me. He was old but I could see clear cut muscle under the expensive garments. I could also see the clear knowing in his old grey eyes. I nodded softly before we continued on to the castle.


End file.
